7 Quick Takes about Spring Break, Political Bumper Stickers, and the Intersection of Mathematics and Poetry

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?

—1—

We just got back from the best spring break vacation ever. Our family of 8 — that's six kids ages 5 through 17 — plus my mom spent the week in Miami!

As you can imagine, we fit in perfectly with all the college spring breakers.

—2—

Our trip was amazing, but also full of "did that just happen?" moments. It began with a dead rat in the backyard of our VRBO and ended with my son breaking a window on the plane. I can't make these things up, you guys.

The kids were the first ones to discover the dead rat, and luckily my mom is fearless and disposed of it by double-bagging her hand and throwing it in the outside garbage.

Things at the VRBO were fine after this.

It was an isolated incident, but we were all relieved when the friend taking care of our pet rats Scout and Piper at home texted us the next day to let us know they were doing okay.

When we flew home, the landing was not smooth and when the wheels hit the runway with a big lurch, my 13-year-old's elbow smashed into the window.

Oops.

I'm assuming there's at least one or more heavy-duty panes behind the cracked plexiglass, standing between us and being sucked out into the wild blue yonder. But perhaps I'll feel better if I don't ask too many questions.

—3—

Driving around when I got back to New England was a sad and disappointing experience after views out my windshield like this one became a regular thing:

The traffic in Miami was horrendous and the pedestrians had no sense of self-preservation, but the roads were impeccably well-maintained and I couldn't get enough of all the palm trees lining the streets. 

—4—

Speaking of driving in Miami, I saw this sticker on the back of a tank truck that vacuums out port-a-potties.

"Caution: This vehicle is full of political promises."

Just think about it for a minute. It'll come to you.

—5—

Something else I loved about our trip was being surrounded by so much Spanish. We were staying in Little Havana, so it was everywhere. 

I took Spanish classes all through high school and just the sound of it makes me terribly happy, but unfortunately the saying "if you don't use it you lose it" is true. 

Lately I've been trying to brush up on the Internet, and it's so weird how I can barely construct simple sentences but I can still translate a fair amount. Most of what I learned 20 years ago is still in there, I just can't remember how to access it. Brains are so weird!

I'm already salivating over the idea of a vacation to somewhere Spanish-speaking next year, so please comment below with your favorite language learning or practicing apps and resources; I'm going to need them.

—6—

At the end of our last day on the beach, we took a late night flight home to New England. The 48-degree weather that felt a lot colder because it was also windy and drizzly, and when we walked in the door just after 1:30 AM the house was freezing because we'd set the thermostat to 59 degrees while we were gone. 

I immediately put on my warmest and fuzziest sweatshirt which happens to say "I'm So Freaking Cold" on it, and it never felt so appropriate as it did at that moment.

—7—

Now we're back into the rhythm of school, and my 16-year-old told me one of her assignments was to "write a haiku about a logarithm."

I asked if she'd recite it to me, and I liked it so much I think I'll reprint it here for your reading pleasure.

Running out of room

Quickly with such a long word.

Logarithms are—

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